30 June 2010

Over the years I've tried hundreds of products, but if I had to choose a favourite Superdrug vitamin E night cream would win hands down.

It's a gorgeous light cream that sinks in really quickly and leaves my skin feeling so soft and smooth and looking radiant. As vitamin E is an antioxidant it has an anti-ageing effect as well, and although I can't comment on that at 21 I do believe prevention is better than cure, so hopefully I'll see the effects as I get older.

My skin has changed quite a bit sinced I first used this cream but I've found it works just as well on oily skin as it does on dehydrated skin.

It only retails at £2.99 but for me it works better than more expensive products I've tried and it is one of the few products I'll always repurchase.

Have you tried this face cream? What is your must have beauty product?

27 June 2010

This is the lightest high street sunscreen I've come across and as the name suggests it's a fluid which feels very comfortable on the skin. It does take a few minutes to sink in but once it does there is no white tint and it doesn't make my skin any oilier.

I can be prone to spots when using sunscreen but because it's quite a light product I've not had any problems.

I use this everyday to help prevent wrinkles, and it hasn't affected the application or the staying power of my make up.

My all time favourite sunscreen is Chanel UV essentiel, but at £11.75 (and often on offer) this is a lot cheaper and works just as well. It offers broad spectrum UVA and UVB (SPF50) protection so if you are looking for an effective but non-greasy sunscreen then I would definitely recommend this.

ETA: Although it's described as a matte fluid, I would describe the finish as more naturally radiant than matte. However the matte look can be easily achieved with a dusting of powder.

15 June 2010

I'm loving lavender nails atm but as I've been wearing Eyeko lilac polish a lot recently I decided to jazz it up slightly with some stars which I was recently sent from Viva la nails.

I've never done any nail designs before but it was surprisingly easy to do. I simply used tweezers to apply them to my wet nails, waited for it to dry then painted over it with a top coat to keep the stars in place. I was in a rush so only did the one nail.

So far I'm pretty impressed- its been 2 days and there's been no nail varnish chipping and all the stars are still firmly in place. I'll definitely be attempting more designs in the future!

13 June 2010

I was recently a runner up in Georgie's lovely custom hair bow giveaway. The original prize was a butterfly hair clip but she was super generous and decided to make a hair bow for all her runners up as well.

I went for a pink and lilac bow with a rose in the middle:

It looks so pretty and girly- just how I wanted it. She was super sweet and wrote a lovely card as well.

Thank you so much Georgie, and if you want one of her beautiful hair bows check out her shop on etsy.

Intense pulsed light works by producing a high intensity of light which is absorbed by the melanin in the hair follicle. It is then converted to thermal energy, which cauterizes the vessel connecting to the base of the hair. This kills the hair, causing it to fall out and hopefully not regrow.

According to E>one it is the first medical hair removal device for personal use and it can be used on tanned skin. It comes in a range of colours and I was sent the green one to try out.

Like other IPL machines you need to shave the area beforehand and ensure it is free of any product. You then use the touch screen to input your gender, hair thickness, skin colour and desired intensity, as well as a safety checklist to run through.

As it was my first time I decided to start at the lowest intensity. It was easy to use as I simply had to position the head on the area to be treated, press it into the skin and press the side of the head to zap. It then takes a few seconds to recharge before moving onto the next area.

It emits a bright red flash so goggles need to be worn and also a gel needs to be applied (which can get a little messy).

It takes about 30mins to do half a leg. I found the sensation quite varied, in some areas I didn't feel anything, some there was a flash of heat and in others it felt like flicking an elastic band over the skin. However although slightly uncomfortable it wasn't painful, and afterwards my skin wasn't hot or red.

After 8 days the hair should start to fall out by themselves and eventually stop growing after 10-12 treatments, so I will keep you updated with how I get on with it.

Have you tried IPL or any other treatments designed to achieve permanent hair loss?

10 June 2010

At Christmas I took advantage of their free gift offer and brought loads of Lush products to last me throughout the year. As you know their products smell amazing so it seemed a shame to just put them away in a box.

I love scented clothes so I decided to pop some of their products into my drawers, keeping them in the yellow bags/original wrapping to avoid staining.

Now all my tops are nicely scented and I get wafts of fragrance throughout the day :)

8 June 2010

This was a bit of a impulse buy as I'd just run out of day cream and my skin needed something a bit richer but I'm so glad I did because it really is a great moisturizer.

It comes in a sturdy glass jar that is both practical and expensive looking and I would describe it as a thick cream gel which has a subtle lemon scent.

Although the formula is quite thick it applies easily without dragging the skin and it sinks in very quickly. There was no greasy afterfeel and it leaves my skin feeling moisturized and looking naturally radiant.

It's marketed as an anti-ageing moisturizer but I think it's perfect for women of all ages. At 21 I can't comment on the anti-ageing properties but hopefully in 10 years time I'll see the benefits!

Do you use anti-ageing products as part of your skincare? What is your favourite day cream?

7 June 2010

Palmolive milk and honey liquid handwashI love the sweet scent of this handwash, which lingers for a while on my hands and as its a moisturizing formula it doesn't dry my hands out despite me constantly washing them. If you know of any other honey and milk scented products please let me know by leaving me a comment :)

Lush Happy Hippy shower gelA really summery zesty grapefruit scented shower gel that lathers up nicely and isn't too drying on my skin. You only need a little bit each time and this small bottle lasts for several weeks.

Sleek Makeup face contour kit

Both the bronzer and the highlighter are nicely pigmented yet not too obvious when applied. It comes in a sturdy black compact with a mirror, which is perfect for carrying around. I'm still getting to grips with contouring, but the highlighter gives a gorgeous sheen and makes my skin look so naturally radiant.

Andrew Collinge moisturise and protect shampooThe ainseedy scented shampoo comes in a huge 500ml bottle and lathers up really well. Despite being designed for dry hair it doesn't make my normal hair any greasier than normal and it leaves my hair nice and clean without irritating my scalp and making it flake.

Have you tried any of these products? What are your recent favourites?

6 June 2010

This herbal scented serum has a light fluid texture, and sinks in quickly with no greasy afterfeel, although it does feel sticky for a few seconds as it's being absorbed.

It's meant to be worn under moisturizer during the day and on its own at night. It didn't affect the application of my moisturizer or my make up during the day and initially it was ok on its own at night, but over time I noticed that my skin was drier than normal.

I've been using this everyday since I was sent it a few weeks ago and at 21 I can't comment on the anti-ageing properties, but it does help to add radiance and moisture to my skin and my pores are a little smaller.

1 June 2010

Before I was sent this product to try out, I always thought facial sprays were just overpriced water, but this has completely changed my mind and it has now become an essential part of my skincare routine.

I have combination skin that can get dehydrated and this is perfect for hydrating my skin during the day. It sprays a fine mist over my face, which is quickly absorbed and it doesn't interfere with my make up or make my face oily.

I also like to use this to cool my face down on a hot day and also to set my make up if I'm using a lot of powder products.

The spray has a subtle rose petal scent and comes in a 125ml bottle which will last for ages as you only need a tiny bit each time.

The only downside is that it costs £12.99 per bottle which is a tad expensive, but I guess it's to be expected given the natural ingredients in the product.

Are you a fan of face sprays? Are there any others that you'd recommend?